TEAM HERALD
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PANJIM: Independent MLA, Rohan Khaunte demanded that the Government should not only derecognise the Goa Baesketball Association and set up a new committee but should also investigate its functioning for over 20 years. He raised the issue in the Assembly on Wednesday.
Khaunte, a former state basketball player, made an impassioned plea on the floor of the House for setting up a new managing body to administer basketball in Goa after he put on record the dismal state of basketball affairs in the state. He pointed out that the association was given assistance by the Government led by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar in 2003 to organize the junior nationals in Panjim and even a special committee was set up to conduct the same after an assurance was given that the association would be handed over to a new breed of basketball enthusiasts.
Khaunte also pleaded that SAG coach Sandeep Martin Warlikar, who is a gold medalist holding the M Sc degree in sports with specialization from NIS Patiala be giving a suitable higher posting befitting the qualifications and his dedicated services so that the state could utilize his expertise, much more so when he is leading the team of coaches in coordination with BFI for preparing the Goa/India team for Lusofonia Games to be held in Goa.
Meanwhile, YMCA director Joseph Vaz in a representation to Chief Minister Parrikar and Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar asked them to “clean up the muck.” “We appeal to you to get to the depth, investigate and intervene. The muck needs to be cleaned for the betterment of the game and Goan sports at large,” stated Vaz , who contended that the GBA president has been holding on to the post for the past 25 years.
The SAG, for the moment, has given GBA officials the cold shoulder in technical coordination with BFI, selection of probables and the team, and infrastructural expertise for Lusofonia Games. The BFI has nominated Norman Isac as the competition director.
